Lettee



B. BROWER.

LETTER FILE.

3 Sheets- Sheet 1,

(No Model.) V

Patented Am. 26, 1892.,

(No Model) 3 Sheets-Sheet B. BROWER.

LETTER FILE.

No. 473,448. Patenied Apr. 26, 1892.

wil xix x m x x m x m m NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BLOOMFIELD BROXVER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LETTER-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,448, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed April 21, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, BLOOMFIELD BRowER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Files, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to a letter-file or temporary binder which is adapted for use in filing letters or miscellaneous papers in such a way that they will be classified or indexed and in convenient form for reference from time to time, and also in such form that additional letters or papers can be added under their proper heads, or that any of the letters or papers can be removed from the file without disturbing the others.

The invention relates particularly to and includes certain improvements in the construction of the file proper; also, certain improvements in the loose index-sheet to be used in connection therewith, and also a certain improvement in a loose copying-sheet which is also adapted to be used in connection with the file.

As a full understanding of the various features embraced in the invention can only be given by an illustration and a detailed description of the construction and manner of using the file, all preliminary description of the invention will be omitted and a detailed description given, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the file and its index. Fig. 2. is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the file, illustrating the manner in which sheets can be removed from or inserted therein. Fig. 4: is a similar View showing particularly the manner of introducing new papers into the file. Fig- 5 is a plan view of the file. Fig.6 is a longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the opposite sides of the loose index-sheet, and Fig. 9 is a view of a portion of one of the loose copying-sheets which may be used in connection with the file.

Referring to said drawings, it is to be understood that the file therein shown consists, essentially, of a rigid back A, from which projects two tubular impaling-pins B and which filedbetween each two sheets.

Serial No. 235,628- (No model.)

is also provided with a light frame-work C, which supports a hinged piece D from which projects two curved wires or needles E, which are arranged to enter the tubular ends of the pins B and form continuations thereof, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The tubular impaling-pins B are of the ordinary form, so that cord can be introduced for binding the sheets together when the file is filled. The hinged piece D is provided with a button or catch cl, or

any other suitable form of looking or fastening the hinged piece when it is turned back to its horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, so as to hold the needles E in a substantially vertical position.

Hinged to the front edge of the frame-work C is a stripper and gage-plate F, which normally rests in position upon thetop of the frame-work O, as shown in Fig. 1, but which may be turned forward, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The plate F is provided upon its free edge with two recesses or openings b, into which the pins B enter as the plate is turned forward, as shown in Fig. 5. The plate is also provided near its hinged edge with two ears 0, which are turned over so as to'receive the edge of the sheet, and thus serve as'a gage to hold the sheet in proper position as it is impaled upon the pins B. The plate F is of such width that when it is turned back to itsnormal position and the hinged piece D is turned forward to its normal position, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the edge of the plate F will project under the edge of the piece D, and thereby lock the plate F in that position.

The pins B are provided with a number of loose sheets G, which are stepped upon one edge, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the steps being numbered to indicate the class of papers These sheets are provided at their upper edge with openings by which they can be readily introduced onto andremoved from the pins B. The top of this index is provided with a loose index- ICO ' rated by the pins B.

sheet H, which also has openings by which it can be introduced onto the pins B. This sheet H is provided along its edge adjacent to the stepped edges of the sheets G with an index and also with a series of numbers corresponding to the numbers upon the steps of the sheets G, by which the position in the file of any particular class of papers can readily be determined.

The manner of using the file thus constructed is as follows: When it is desired to introduce any paper into the file, the sheet H and the leaves G above the point at which the paper is to be filed will be raised on the pins B and carried up onto the needles E. The button or other fastening 01 will then be loosened and the needles and the hinged piece D turned back, as shown in Fig. 3. The sheet to be filed will then be impaled on the pins B. This maybe done either by placing the sheet over the pins by hand; or, if the sheet'is frail and liable to tear or it is desired to impale it with great accuracy upon the pins, the plate F will be turned up to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the sheet, asf, will be dropped onto the gage-plate F with its edge resting against the ears 0, and the plate and sheet will then be turned down, as indicated by dotted lines in said figure, and pressed onto the pins. The plate F will in this operation act as a stripper and prevent the sheet from tearing at the point where it is perfo- The paper having thus been filed, the operation will be repeated as often as papers are to be filed, and when the filing is complete the hinged piece D will be turned back and fastened, thereby causing the needles E to connect with the pins B, so as to prevent the papers from accidentally falling from the file.

The loose index-sheet H is provided upon its opposite edges and opposite sides with four forms of index, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. For instance, on one edge of one side it is provided with an alphabetical index, as indicated at g. Onthe opposite edge of the same side it is provided with blank spaces, for example, upon which any arbitrary form of indexcan be written, as indicated at h. On one edge of the opposite side it may be provided with an alphabetical index coupled with blank spaces for an arbritrary index, as indicated at 2', while upon the opposite edge of that side it maybe provided with a monthly index, as indicated at 70. With the sheet thus prepared it is possible, by turning the sheet end for end or side for side, to use any one of the four different forms of index at different times or according as the file may be required for diiferent purposes, and thus additional scope is given to the utility of the file. It is desirable, of course, that the sheet H should project fully over the sheets G at the side opposite to the steps upon those sheets, while upon the stepped sides of the sheets G the sheet H should be narrower, so as to leave the steps exposed. For this reason, therefore,

it is desirable to provide the sheet H with double perforations m at each end, so that when it is turned side for side the pins B can be passed through different perforations, so as to cause the sheet to occupy the proper position upon the sheets G.

It is frequently desirable to use files of this class, not only for filing letters or other papers received, but for filing press copies of letters or other papers sent. To supply this want, I provide the'file with a quantity of copyingsheets K, which are placed upon the pins B, between the upper one of the sheets G and the sheet H. so that when it is desired to file a copy of a letter or"paper one of these,

sheets can be removed, a press copy of the paper taken, and the sheet then placed in its proper position in the file in the manner already described. In placing these loose blank copying-sheets in the file ready for use it 1s of course necessary to provide them with per- 1 forations to receive the pins B; but after the sheets have been dampened in the process of copying and then dried they will be shrunk, so that the perforations which receive the pins when the sheets are dried will not after they have been thus shrunk be in proper position to receive the pins. It is therefore necessary to make the perforations n in the sheets K of such size that they will receive the pins under either condition. This is preferably done by elongating the holes, as shown in Fig. 9. When the sheets are dried, the pins B will pass through the holes near their inner ends, and after the sheets have shrunk, as stated, the pins will pass through them near their outer ends, thus permitting the sheets to be introduced onto the pins in either condition without being torn. Copying-paper perforated in this manner can readily be supplied for use in connection with these files after the quantity supplied with the original file has become exhausted.

What I claim is- 1. In a letter-file, the combination, with the impaling-pins B, of the hinged needles E and a locking device, as d, for locking the needles in rigid engagement with the pins B, substantially as described.

2. In a letter-file, the combination, with the impaling-pins B, of the curved needles E secured to the hinged plate D, and the locking device (1 for fastening said plate rigid in position to hold the needles in engagement with the pins, substantially as described.

3. In a letter-file, the combinatiomwith the impaling-pinsB, of the hinged stripper-plate F, having the recesses or openings 2) and arranged to be turned over to press the sheets onto said pins, substantially as described.

4:. In a letter-file, the combination, with the impaling-pins B, the curved needles E, and the hinged plate D, carrying said needles, of the hinged stripper-plate F, having the recesses or openings 1) and arranged -to be turned forward to press the papers onto said pins and to be turned rearward, so as to be locked in position by the hinged plate D, substantially as described.

5. In a letter-file, the combination, with the impaling-pins B and the curved needles E, of the hinged stripper-plate F, having the recesses or openings band the gages c, substantially as described.

6. The loose index-sheet H for letter-files, provided with four indices 9 h 2' 7c upon the opposite edges of its opposite sides and ,with openings m, whereby said sheet is reversible in both directions.

7. The combination, with the impaling-pins B, of loose copying-sheet K, provided with the enlarged openings n, whereby said sheet is adapted to be introduced onto the pins both before and after receiving its copy, substantially as described.

8. The reversible index-sheet I-I, provided BLOOMFIELD BROVER.

Witnesses:

JOHN V. BROWER, JAs. J. KENNEDY. 

